Hundreds of cosmetology students were left wondering about their future after the Capri Institute closed without warning last week.
The institute has four campuses in central and northern New Jersey. The students are now left without a cosmetology license and are wondering what happens next.
“We need our transcripts signed and stamped. Our official transcripts, copies of our contracts from them to have for documentation,” says student Sarah Lavroff.
It is still not known why the Capri Institute closed in the middle of classes last week. But for students like Lavroff, who paid close to $20,000 for tuition, the news came as a shock.
“They then said that the school was going to be closing. They said it was supposed to be closing Monday, but it really closed right then and there. Everybody went home – the teachers are not coming in tomorrow or Friday,” Lavroff says.
Lavroff returned to the school the next day looking for answers but did not get any.
News 12 New Jersey has confirmed a realtor flyer showing the Paramus location is up for lease.
Calls made to the main number on the Capri website did not go through.
Lavroff says that she doesn’t believe that the school will reopen in 30 days and wants answers now.
“I just hope that we get justice and are able to finish our licensing. We’ve put so much time and money and effort and rearranged our lives to go here. A lot of us are single moms,” she says.
News 12 attempted to reach out to the owner of the Capri Institute. All numbers listed for owner Anne Muenster are no longer in service.
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs says it has received 13 consumer complaints against the institute since Dec. 1. Those cases are open and under review.